Did Your Baby Suffering Personal Injuries from Bacterial Meningitis? Call Kuhlman Law to Speak With Our Bacterial Meningitis Birth Injury Lawyer in Oregon for Help
The birth of a child is typically a happy event. However, when complications arise it can transform a happy event into something catastrophic. There are many different birth injuries that can occur shortly after labor and delivery. While some injuries are unpreventable, there are times when complications can be avoided entirely. In other instances, there are times when complications can arise, but doctors and other healthcare professionals fail to diagnose or treat the complication, leading to further injury or even death. Meningitis is one example of a serious illness that if left untreated, can lead to permanent brain damage, or even death. If your loved one suffered from this type of infection, call our experienced bacterial meningitis birth injury lawyer in Oregon for help.
Here at Kuhlman Law, our experienced birth injury lawyer knows that all types of infections to a neonate or newborn are serious. In fact, infections are serious to toddlers, teens, and adults – even healthy adults. Anytime your child suffers from bacterial meningitis, you should have your case evaluated for medical malpractice by our birth injury lawyers. Most instances of bacterial meningitis and the injuries that result could have been prevented with the proper exercise of care under the law. However, some providers ignore the signs of bacterial meningitis. In fact, some providers think that new parents – especially first time parents – may exaggerate symptoms and claims. If you or a loved one may have been seriously injured due to medical malpractice in Oregon, call us for help today.
When Should I Call a Birth Injury Lawyer After Bacterial Meningitis?
Any time your loved one is diagnosed with bacterial meningitis.
After getting your loved one the correct care and treatment, you should call a medical malpractice lawyer like ours in Oregon for help with your case. Bacterial meningitis is very serious. People die from bacterial meningitis every day, especially children. This is a very powerful type of infection that can result in significant personal injuries to victims.
Even if your healthcare provider claims that bacterial meningitis is due to an unavoidable outcome or risk, you should still get your case evaluated. This includes if a provider says that your loved one’s bacterial meningitis was due to a completely natural or normal complication with birth.
Always call a bacterial meningitis birth injury lawyer in Oregon if your loved one was diagnosed with this type of powerful and devastating infection.
What is Meningitis?
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. As you can see, since meningitis is so close to the brain, it is a very serious diagnosis. Individuals who suffer personal injuries from meningitis may have brain damage. When a victim has been diagnosed with this type of infection, time is of the essence to prevent permanent damage or the wrongful death of a victim. There are a few different types of meningitis that can occur and can cause serious complications.
Bacterial meningitis may be caused by many different types of bacteria. In neonates, Group b streptococcus is often a cause for meningitis in the neonatal period, but can be caused by Escheriochia coli (E. Coli), haemophilus influenza, or listeria monocytogenes as well as other types of bacteria.
Viral meningitis is another type of meningitis that can be serious. It most often is caused by measles, mumps, coxsackievirus, enterovirus, or herpes virus. While viral meningitis can occur in the neonatal period, bacteria is a more common cause of meningitis in the neonatal period.
Fungi and parasites are other causes of meningitis, but are far less common in the neonatal period. These can, however, be caused by medical malpractice. Although it is just not that likely. Victims who suffer these types of meningitis should also call our medical malpractice law firm for help.
Causes of Meningitis in Newborns
There are many possible causes of meningitis in the neonatal period. One cause of meningitis in the neonatal period is a lack of appropriate sanitation and hygiene in the hospital environment. Examples of this include poor hand hygiene, inadequate sanitation or use of sterile technique for procedures requiring sterile technique, unnecessary blood draws, poor management of central lines, and other causes of meningitis due to inadequate sanitation and hygiene.
Another cause of neonatal meningitis is improper management of a bacterial infection once identified. This includes treatment of the mother. Mothers with Group B Streptococcus must receive prophylactic treatment prior to delivery. If inadequate coverage is unable to be provided how quickly the mother delivers, close monitoring of the newborn for signs of infection is warranted to ensure prompt treatment of the illness should it develop. Infants who are found to have a bacterial infection should be treated promptly to avoid progression to meningitis, sepsis, or another devastating complication.
Symptoms of Meningitis in a Newborn
Given that newborns are unable to speak, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professions must look to identify other potential symptoms of meningitis. Common symptoms of meningitis in the newborn period include the following:
- Bradycardia (low heart rate)
- Fever
- Hypothermia (low temperature)
- Irritability
- Feeding intolerance
- Lethargy
- Respiratory distress
- Excessive crying
- Abdominal distension
- Stiffness
- Hypotension (low blood pressure)
- Apnea (pauses in breathing)
- Hypotonia (low muscle tone)
- Seizures
- Bulging fontanelle or fullness
- Vomiting
- Jaundice
- Nuchal rigidity
- Other symptoms of meningitis in a newborn
How is Meningitis Diagnosed in the Neonate?
If meningitis is suspected, certain testing is conducted to diagnose or rule out the condition. A lumbar puncture to obtain cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is performed to test for the presence of infection. Additionally, blood work is drawn such as a complete blood count (CBC), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and blood cultures amongst other lab work. In some instances, imaging may be ordered as well.
How is Neonatal Meningitis Treated?
The most common treatment for bacterial meningitis is antibiotic therapy. In certain instances, corticosteroids may be used as well. The specific antibiotic used to treat a newborn’s meningitis depends on the type of bacterial present. Viral meningitis typically includes supportive care (fluids, medications, etc.). Antibiotic therapy is unfortunately not an option for cases of viral meningitis.
Complications of Meningitis
Sadly, meningitis can lead to serious or fatal complications. Some of the most common complications of meningitis include the following:
- Brain damage
- Sepsis
- Learning disabilities
- Kidney failure
- Seizures
- Vision or hearing loss
- Cerebral palsy
- Wrongful death, and
- Other complications caused by meningitis in the neonatal period.
Could My Newborn’s Meningitis Be Caused by Medical Malpractice?
If your newborn suffered complications due to the development of meningitis in the neonatal period, you may be able to recover compensation if it can be proven that your child received substandard medical care. As mentioned above, there are many different causes of meningitis, with some being more preventable than others. Timely diagnosis and intervention are critical to minimize the risk of long-term complications or death.
A failure to diagnose an infection in a timely diagnosis which then leads to meningitis can be considered medical malpractice. Additionally, the development of certain bacterial infections are at times preventable, so this too could be considered medical malpractice. Our experienced meningitis birth injury lawyers are prepared to review your case at length, hear your side of the story, and discuss how we can help you recover the compensation you deserve.
The diagnosis of meningitis in your newborn can be devastating, and our compassionate lawyers are here to help you recover compensation to help deal with any medical bills or other expenses associated with your child’s meningitis diagnosis if medical malpractice is identified. Call our lawyers today for a FREE consultation to learn how our experienced birth injury lawyers can help you.
Did a Loved One Suffer From a Delay in Diagnosis or Improper Treatment? Call our Bacterial Meningitis Birth Injury Lawyer for Help in Oregon
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
